


What Fen'Harel Has Wrought

by traveltigress



Series: Moira Lavellan [2]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-27
Updated: 2015-08-27
Packaged: 2018-03-25 23:38:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3829129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/traveltigress/pseuds/traveltigress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It turns to that the elvhen gods are trapped in mortal bodies in Thedas. Andruil has regained her memories and is threatening vengeance so Solas has asked for Lavellan's help. This takes place shortly after the events of Inquisition with my Moira Lavellan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Preface

       “You did WHAT?” Moira shrieked. “And I thought you being _Fen’harel_ was the most troubling thing I had to get over! What were you _thinking_! So, you are saying that the _entire pantheon_ is living out their merry lives here in _Thedas_!?”  
       “They are not fully themselves. Like me, they have been stripped of most of their power. However, their memories remain in the Fade along with that power,” he intoned deeply, “or at least they should have been.” He looked down nervously, “However, it seems Andruil has recovered hers.” His face was knotted in sorrow and desperation, but as she glared at him her features softened into concern, saying,  
       “I know this is not what you meant to happen, but _fenhedis_ have you made a mess.” Taking his cheek in her hands, “However, at least you have me to help you fix it. I could never abandon you. So what are we to do next?”  
       “We need to find out Andruil’s plan and put a stop to it. We should find out to what degree her memories and abilities have returned. Additionally, we should check on the other gods to see if any of then have been affected the same way, although I highly doubt it.”  
       “What do you mean by that, why would Andruil be affected while the others are not?”  
       “Well, Andruil has always had a… special connection to the Void. It seems that with each concessive Blight, it awoke part of the Blight within her, which led to her returned memories.”  
       “But how are the Void and the Blight connected?”  
       “One stems from the other. The Blight is caused from a corrupted Old God, as you well know. However, the Old Gods and the Forgotten Ones are one and the same. They have been trying for centuries to find their way out of the Void, and it seems that when I created the Veil it may have opened a passage for the Blights to come into this world.”  
       “Well that’s great, we have an angry Blighted god running around who-knows-where, doing who-knows-what!” she exclaimed sarcastically. “But Leliana can find the other gods while we find Andruil.”  
       “I must go personally to check on them. They are under wards that hide them from anyone searching specifically for them, and I am the only one who can search them out intentionally.”  
       “Is there a chance that Andruil could follow us? I don’t think us leading her to them would be the best idea.”  
       “It is very unlikely. However, I should do this alone. It is too dangerous for you to come along with me, vhenan.”  
       “Ptsh, dangerous my arse! I just got you back and I won’t give you up that easily again. Besides, where would you be without your vhenan?” She laces her hands in his, looking at him expectantly.  
       “I suppose I deserve that,” he says with a laugh. “But who will take care of the Inquisition in your absence?”  
       “My advisors are used to me ducking out, they should have no problem with me being gone for a while. Anyways, I have needed a vacation for a while. I shall need a couple days to prepare. Let us go to the War Table to inform the others.” She sets out towards the door, then abruptly turns back and asks, “What are we going to tell them? They will not be too excited to learn the truth.”  
       “We should probably tell it to them,” he says while reaching for her hand.  
       “That’s rich coming from you,” laughing mockingly. “But you are right, that would be best. We don’t want our agents going in unprepared.” She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and briskly walked out of her room.  
       Solas was glad to be back. Glad that Moira did not completely dismiss him, but he could sense the slight stiffness to her actions towards him, the sidelong glances revealing the gulf in trust between them. He had hurt her, deeply. Hopefully, he could prove himself again to her. Some way, some how.


	2. Elgar'nan

       The day was bright and cheerful, even if it was ungodly early. The sun had just blushed the sky with pink when Solas had woken her up. Now that they were on the road, though, it was not too bad. For a time they walked in companionable silence, each content with their own thoughts until they reached the main road where Moira asked, “So, where are we going first?”  
       “We will seek out Elgar’nan first. He should be in the eastern part of the Arbor Wilds, most likely where I left him.”  
       “Are you telling me that _Elgar’nan_ has been this close to Skyhold the entire time? What in the world are we getting ourselves into?”  
       “Yes he has been close, but he should be far enough away that he poses no risk to others. As to what we are getting ourselves into I cannot say exactly, but he should not be too different in personality to as he was before, therefore we should remain undetected if we can.”  
       “Why is that? Surely he can’t be that bad.”  
       “If you call him being not so bad as a raging egomaniac with a hyper-masculinity complex and no room for forgiveness. While he is most likely not at full strength, he should still be feared.” They lapsed back into comfortable silence. However, a sense of strain between the two of them grew as they walked on in silence, growing heavier and heavier with each step. To break the tension, Solas pointed it out, “You seem distant. I should expect no less since it was I who left you, but it still greaves me.”  
       “Well maybe you should have thought of that before you left!” she snapped, “Maybe this all could have been avoided if you only had let me in!” Pausing, she softened her tone, “Sorry, that was unworthy. I shouldn’t have snapped.”  
       “No, I deserve it. Leaving you was the pinnacle of things I have on my long list of wrongs. I… I should have…”  
       “While I am not saying it was ok, what is done has been done, there is no changing it. What we can do now is work past it.”  
       “Alright. Yes. Work past it. Although,” he took her hand in his and looked straight into her eyes, “you should know that I could never leave you again, and I never will again, vhen-“ The rest of his speech was cut of by her mouth as the kiss brought electricity to his skin. He hungrily drank the sweetness of it in, barely pausing for breath. The feel of her mouth, her cheeks, her neck, her arms, her waist, her hips, all of it felt so good to him. In that moment, they realized that he was hers and she was his for the rest of time.  
They were so engrossed in each other that at first they did not realize the first drops of rain falling from the sky. Moira was the one to break the embrace. “We should probably set up camp before we are soaked to the bone.” He breathed a sigh of resignation at their parting but dutifully set off to find a suitable campsite to shelter in. After so many nights of sleeping apart, that night they slept peacefully in each other’s warmth.  
       She woke to find their libs interlaced with each other. A knot she knew she could not untangle without waking him, but sunlight was already streaming through the tent so she gently nuzzled him awake. When she saw that he was awake she gave him a wide grin, “Good morning, sleepy head. It seems we have allowed the sun to rise. Shall we rise with it?”  
“No,” he groaned, “let’s stay here a bit longer.” She giggled as he began to plant a trail of kisses down her neck. “Surely we can stay a bit longer,” he pleaded. She playfully pushed him back and started dressing. He flopped onto his back with a resigned sigh and followed suit. Throughout the next few days of travel they chatted playfully taking the occasional kissing break. Their nights were filled with the warmth of each other’s company and brimmed with the fiery excitement of their passions.  
       On the third day they reached the edge of the Wilds. Solas led them deep into the woods, taking seemingly the most difficult path. “How much farther?” Moira asked.  
       “Not much. We should be nearby.” He took on a more somber tone, “You should know, it would be best if I do not touch him physically. I do not want to accidentally trigger the return of his memories. That would be… unpleasant.”  
       “How so?”  
       “Well first off…” Loosing track of what he was saying, Moira got an evil glint in her eye. Solas was well engrossed in what he was saying, so he did not notice when she sidled up to him. She made a grab for the wolf jawbone necklace then sprinted off with a triumphant giggle. Solas stared for a fraction of a second, but then, the chase was on. With a smirk he dashed after her, quickly gaining ground. That is until she went into stealth. He stopped it his tracks, waiting for any slight signal to give her away. Crunch. With the snapping of a branch he zeroed in on her location: she was only a few paces ahead of him, standing still to not attract attention. He went off slightly to the right of her actual position to give the impression that he thought she was somewhere else. Once he got there he feigned confusion as to where she could be and started walking to where she actually was. Once he got there though, his confusion was feigned no longer, she must have moved while he was setting his trap. He scanned the area for where she could have gone. Ooof! She pounced down from the tree above him and they scattered onto the forest floor, rolling together through the brush. Solas took this chance to capture her, much to her delight, and kissed her fiercely in between breathless laughter. Realizing they were lying in the damp earth he helped her up, and she placed the necklace back over his shoulders, keeping her arms looped around his neck as they basked in the glow of the moment.  
       “My, my, what do we have here?” came a firm voice from above. Their heads snapped to the source of the sound where a large, burly man sat in a tree. “I came out here for prey, but it seems that I have found a Wolf.” He easily jumped down from his perch and drew his daggers. “Oh, and what an adorable little pet you’ve got here as well. Another one of your conquests, my son?”  
Solas pushed Moira behind him and growled, “Not quite, Father, but I do not remember you having any interest in my actions before now.”  
       “Well you made it my business when you trapped me here in this body,” hissed the man who could only be Elgar’nan. “You have made a fine mess here, my son.”  
       “How much do you remember? Why do you remember? The wards I set up should have lasted for centuries.”  
       “I remember everything. How you tricked your own kind to help those far beneath us. Look at this world you have created, are the People any better off than they were before? Scattered in the woods like animals, or kept in pens for shemlen benefit! Can you really say that they are better off?”  
Solas took a steadying breath before replying, “Yes. It is far better than being slaves. They have their freedom. While this is not exactly what I had envisioned, at least they have their own person.” He stood defiantly, staring down Elgar’nan.  
       “You insolent child!” Elgar’nan moved to cast a spell, but it only produced small, insignificant sparks from his hands.  
Solas smirked. “At least some of my wards still hold. It seems you are powerless.” Elgar’nan reached for his blade, ready to strike the smug Wolf down.  
       “I would not advise that.” Moira chimed, her bow drawn and pointed straight at Elgar’nan. She noticed the slight pleased twitch at the corner of Solas’ mouth. “We are going to back away, and you shall lower your blades and go on your merry way.” They slowly backed away from each other, nervously staring down their opponent.  
       “I’m not done with you yet, Wolf” Elgar’nan hissed. “And do not think you are safe either, she-elf.” Once they were out of his line of sight, Moira put them both into stealth as they ran at a breakneck pace away from Elgar’nan. Once they were far enough away, they their pace slowed enough to allow conversation.  
Moira laughed, “Well, I guess we know what’s up with Elgar’nan. Are all gods so self-righteous? And creators, the melodrama!”  
       Solas was agape in offence, “I am not melodramatic! How could you say such a thing? If you want melodrama, find Dorian. I, however, am not melodramatic.” Moira looked at him, eyebrow cocked in suspicion. Defeated, “Alright, perhaps I am occasionally somewhat melodramatic.”


	3. Sylaise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All elvhen is based off fenxshiral's work.

       “So why is Elgar’nan aware of what has happened?” asked Moira. They had been trekking through the Arbor Wilds, making decent time, but the encounter with Elgar’nan still weighed heavily on them both, especially Solas.

       “It seems that the wards I set in place are still intact, so it must have been from an outside force. I do not know what could have caused that though,” Solas pondered.

       “Could Andruil have gotten there before us?”

       “Possibly, but that would be highly unlikely with the wards I put up. However that is more likely than what I initially thought. My first thought was that the wards had failed on all the gods, but as we have seen that is not true since Elgar’nan was unable to access his magic. It seems we must assess the condition of the other gods to see the whole picture. Sylaise should not be too far ahead.”

       “Should we prepare for a fight?” Moira asked.

       Solas let out a dismissive snort, “No. Sylaise should pose no problem. Even at her full power she was not much of a threat. She is passive to the point of impotence. I highly doubt that she would be a problem.”

       “Hey, do you see that fire up ahead?” As they approached closer they saw a small hut surrounded with swarms of people. They all seemed to be anxiously expecting someone from inside the hut. A high-pitched shriek cut its way out of the hut, much to the displeasure of those waiting. “What is going on?” asked Moira. At which a worried, frazzled male elf darted up to them and muttered something along the lines of,

       “She’s been in there for hours! What are we going to do? We can’t loose her or the child she carries. What shall we do? No… No… we can’t loose her.” An older woman walked over to them, resting a hand on the man’s shoulder,

       “Atisha i’ara’len, lethalin1. Calm yourself for she is in good hands. We just need to wait and see.” She turns to Moira, “Excuse him. His wife is in the middle of a difficult labor and he has not slept in days for worry over her. However, An’daran Atish’an. I am Mahana, Keeper of this clan. I see you wear the mark of Sylaise, da’len. Who might you be?” Solas begins to answer, but is swiftly cut off with a glare from the small elderly woman. “I asked her, not some want-to-be-shemlen city elf. Go on dear.” Moira restrained Solas with a soft hand on his wrist and a knowing look.

       “Isalan nadan ea athimel i’mar’len, amelan, galen’en din’arona2.” Solas growled, taking a step forward.

       Moira shot him a stern look and cut him off, “We are traveling through looking for someone. I am Moira of Clan Lavellan, and my friend here is Solas, he is held in my highest respect and should be respected.” Curiously, no flicker of recognition passed over the old woman’s face, indicating that her clan was well removed from current events. “Who is in that hut, Amelan?”

       “We have traveled leagues to find her, she is known to us as Arlise'sul'avelanathe, The Hearthkeeper. It is said that she can help the most dire pregnancies and can cure any malady. We’ve brought our clan here to seek her help for one of our own. We lost all our healers in the last Blight and have been struggling to keep ourselves alive. It seems the gods wish to curse us!”

       “Unlikely” Solas muttered under his breath, earning a sharp elbow to the ribs from Moira.

       “I may be able to help,” Moira chimed in. “I am sure I don’t measure up to the Hearthkeeper, but if you have any others that need aid or would like to learn basic healing, I would love to help.” The old woman nodded eagerly, urging Moira towards her clan. Solas looked at her with the face of a lost lost puppy. “Don’t worry, sit your Sol-ass down for a while. This can do no harm. Anyways, this Hearthkeeper may be who we are looking for.” Solas petulantly sat down at the base of a nearby tree, silently brooding.

       Moira made her way around the camp, showing them how to set bones, heal colds, and patch up cuts. She was handed a colicky baby who only stopped crying when it was in her arms, so she held onto it. While Solas did not enjoy the intrusion, he did enjoy seeing Moira in her element. She was helping, healing, guiding the clan. He saw her face brighten in triumph when one of her pupils figured something out. He even liked the look of a babe on her hip. No. He could not be thinking of things such as this. This is not the kind of world you would want to bring a babe into, and he did not even know if it was possible for him. What kind of child would he even have? He shook these thoughts from his head and rose to speak to Lavellan.

       Over her shoulder Moira noticed that Solas was walking towards her and turned to greet him. “Solas, meet Dhrualan, she is a wonderful child.” Solas reached a hand out to caress the baby’s hand when it grabbed on, freezing him with fear. Moira let out a giggle, “She is not going to bite. Well actually she might, but she doesn’t have any teeth yet so it wouldn’t hurt too bad. She seems to like you, though.”

       At that moment, an exhausted woman emerged from the hut, “Where’s the father? She’s crowning!” At that, the man from earlier rushed forward, every eye from the camp trained on the door. A final great scream shot from it, followed by shouts of joy. She had done it. “It’s a girl!” an attendant shouted out for all to hear. “The mother is alright! Praise the Creators!” At that the entire clan leapt up and began to celebrate. A chorus of “Enaste ise!3” erupted throughout the camp. Clan members included Moira in their celebrations, and even Solas to a lesser extent. He glanced down at Moira and was captivated by the fire in her eyes. He could see the joy filling her every fiber, from the delight of the birth, the comfort of clan life, and the pride in those she helped. She leaned against him, humming contentedly and wrapped her arm around his waist. The child in her arms had fallen asleep in the crook of her elbow. The whole world shifted once again shrinking down to just her, and Solas was reminded of what he was fighting for. They made camp that night surrounded by the clan. The Hearthkeeper kept the new mother and babe in her house to monitor them, which was for the best Moira decided, for they did not want the clan learning of whom this Hearthkeeper probably was.

       At the crack of dawn the clan was already on their way. Moira said her goodbyes as the Keeper rushed up to greet them. “Mother and baby are doing well. We are forever in your debt for the help you provided. Thank you from the bottom of your hearts. On dhea’him4.”

       “There is no need, dar’eth shiral5,” said Moira then turning to Solas, “Let’s meet this Hearthkeeper, shall we?” They walked up to knock on the door where an elf woman no older than mid-thirties opened the door.

       “Ah, I was expecting that it was that clan’s Keeper again. But nevertheless, come in, da’len. I am making some tea, would you care for some?”

       Solas frowned at the notion, but Moira answered with, “Excuse him. He has no taste. I, however, would be grateful for some tea.” The woman motioned towards a small table for them to sit.

      “I had a good friend once who did not like tea either. You have to wonder about those types of people.” She brought over two mugs and set one for Moira and another for herself. “As you might know, I am called the Hearthkeeper. And who might you be?”

       “I am Moira of clan Lavellan, and this is my companion, Solas”

       “Ah, that is great dearie, why have you come? I sense a great fire in your belly, is that why?”

       Solas cleared his throat, “We are looking for someone, and we thought that you may be her.”

       “Ah, yes. You are looking for Sylaise. Well you have found her, how are you doing Fen’Harel? It has been quite some time since we last saw each other.”

       Solas stiffened at the mention of his name. “So you remember? How?”

       “Andruil came by several moons ago wanting me to join her. Apparently she wants to hunt you down, and came to me for help. While I am her sister, I had to refuse since I have made quite a name for myself down here. People from all over Thedas have come to me seeking help, and it has made me realize that I have missed actually helping people. But oh, how she raged at that. She even accused me of aiding you and raved about how her own family was abandoning her. It seems Elgar’nan turned her down as well citing that he needed to find Mythal before we did anything. That is the first time I have heard of him being so levelheaded. Perhaps a stint of mortality has done him well. But I shall tell you the same as I told Andruil, I will not budge. I have found a place of peace here and I intend to keep it that way. However, you should be warned, she has recruited Glian’nain and the twin souls.”

       “Thank you, Sylaise. Do you know how she found them?”

       “She said something about ‘Sniffing out the Wolf” but she did not elaborate. I would highly advise caution when dealing with her, she seems even more unstable than before.”

       “Thank you,” dismissed Solas, “We should be going now.”

       “But I haven’t finished my tea!” complained Moira.

       “Its alright, da’len. Your wolf seems impatient to leave.” Sylaise began to collect up the mugs and chirped, “Have a safe trip!”

       They grabbed their things and headed back on the road, Solas with a tight-lipped frown as they went.

       “So what now? It seems Andruil has found them all. Except for June, of course. Shall we visit him next? Or should we return to Skyhold?”

        Solas pondered for a moment, “June is only a week’s journey from here. We should check in on him. That is unless Andruil has not gotten to him first.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> 1- Calm yourself, my friend.  
> 2- You need to be more humble yourself, Keeper, not everyone is as they seem.  
> 3- Praise be  
> 4- Good evening  
> 5- Have a safe journey


	4. June

“Oh boy, not again,” choked Moira as she veered of the trail to throw up again. After her retching ceased she complained, “It’s been a week of this! How much longer can it go on for? Have you ever been this sick before?”

“I cannot recall. Should we search out a medic? My spells have been all but effective. Or perhaps we could rest for a while.”

“No. We need to find June.” She took a moment to steady herself then continued, “Anyways, I feel a bit better when I am walking.” They slowly restarted the trail, Solas worrying over Moira like a mother hen. To distract him she changed the subject, “What do you think Sylaise meant about Andruil sniffing you out? I assume that you are the Wolf she mentioned, of course, and if so, how did she find the gods and not you?”

Solas paused, then pondering aloud, “I do not know for sure, but it is possible she sensed my magic instead of my person… Yes, actually that makes the most sense, because if she smelled my physical scent she would not know where the other gods are. That must mean that she has some way to access her magic, which is not good for us.”

“Could she be using someone else? Maybe another mage?”

“Possibly, but she would need to somehow have a sample of my magic to do so. She may have found one of the wards I set up to strengthen the veil in the Hinterlands, but how could she have known it was mine?”

“Your magic feels different to me, perhaps she recognized it that way. Your magic feels like cool rain and it comes in slow waves, while, for example, Dorian’s feels like the taste of cinnamon: warm and inviting, but biting and pungent.” Moira stopped in her tracks, “Wait a minute… the idea of cinnamon has made me a bit nauseous.”

“Do not worry, vhenan, Dorian makes me a little nauseous as well,” Solas joked which earned him a stern look from Moira. “But perhaps you are correct. Should we rest for a bit? Are you all right? Do we need to find a healer?”

She let out an annoyed breath, “No, Solas, I’m fine.” She gave a weak smile as the nausea rolled through her. She let out a small squeak as her legs were no longer supporting her. Solas had swept her into his arms and carried her like a child.

“No, you are not. We are a day’s distance from a small town, which may have a healer. I will walk as far as I am able, then we can set up camp and continue in the morning.” Moira grudgingly stared at him, but seeing that she would get nowhere with protestation she remained silent. It was comforting being carried, snug and safe within his arms. Soon, she was dozing, slipping silently into the Fade.

She awoke when she was gently placed on a bed of grass. Grunting and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she rose to take in her surroundings. He had found a mostly flat expanse of grassland that had recently been shorn by wandering herds. The light of the day would fade soon enough, so Solas set out to hunt. Moira could not sit idly, so she began to set up camp. She had set up the tent and began to collect kindling for the fire when she spotted a rabbit not too far off; she carefully aimed at with her bow and brought down. She brought her kill and what else she could find for a fire back to the camp. In no time the rabbit was over the crackling fire. If she had it on hand she would have bound some sage and rosemary to the meat, but, alas, some things cannot be. Anyways, even if she had the herbs she did not know if her stomach could take the smell.

The sun slowly set and as the sky was tinted orange when Solas returned with a handful of herbs and a quizzical look. “What?” she asked defensively, “did you expect me to sit idly by and do nothing? Seems like it was a good thing anyways since you found nothing.”

“I guess I should have expected that you would not sit still,” he admitted shaking his head in resignation. “However, I did find some of the plant you like tea from.” He set a bundle of leaves into her hand along with a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

“Oooh! Peppermint! Thank you,” she threw her arms around him, “this may even aid my stomach.” The rabbit would be done soon so she sent him out to fill the pot with water while she prepared the rabbit. The pot was placed over the fire and they tucked into their dinner. By the time they were finished, the water was boiling so she put the tealeaves in to steep. “Thank you again for the tea,” she reaffirmed, “the only thing that would make this more perfect was if I had some honey.”

“It is my pleasure, and I may be able to aid you in your honey dilemma.” He reached into his pack and procured a honeycomb, much to her delight. “I found the honey near where I had found the plant. It seemed like a sign that the world wanted you to have tea tonight.” She beamed up at him as she grabbed a mug from her bag. Once the tea was in her hands she let out a contented sigh at the heavenly aroma wafting from the cup. She leaned against him and cradled the warm cup in her hands, content to have her world around her. They chatted for a couple hours then retired for the night. 

She was the first one awake, as usual, but she knew that if she moved she would be beset by an onslaught of nausea. Despite her caution, her stomach still revolted as it had done for countless mornings. She rushed out of the tent, trying her best to contain the spew so it would not go all over their belongings.  
He awoke from a sharp pain at his side followed by the swish of fabric and the sound of retching. He was nervous that her illness seemed to be getting worse. She was constantly weak, tired, nauseous, and often had to take breaks far more frequently than usual. Hopefully the town ahead would have a healer who would know how to treat her. They started their day by eating a quick breakfast and packing up camp; despite his protests Moira stubbornly kept packing.

“Solas, I am not dying. I can at least help.”

“We do not know what is wrong with you. For all we know you could be dying.”

“Ah, yes, here is the melodramatic elf I love,” she replied sarcastically.

He shot her a disgruntled grin, making her giggle. Once camp was packed they set off towards the town and arrived by mid-afternoon.   
The town was small, but it was large enough to have a market, making it likely that there would be a physician of some sort. Solas’ brow was set in determined focus as he set out through the market to find a healer. Meanwhile, Moira perused the other stalls for anything useful. When Solas returned with news her arms were already full with purchases. 

“What is all this stuff?” he asked.

“You mentioned that June was in the mountains, so I thought I’d grab some gear that could help you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. I don’t want to be slowing you down, go find June while I recover. Don’t look at me like that! I will be perfectly fine. Have you found somebody?”

“Yes. She seems trustworthy enough, although I was expecting to stay with you. Come, she is just on the outskirts of the village.” They walked the short distance to the hut and when they knocked on the door a grandmotherly human woman came to the door. 

“Ah, yes, you are the young man Cat met in the market. And who is your friend here?” she asked.

“This is Moira Masashala1. She is a – friend - of mine.” Moira shot him an insulted expression then flew him the bird once the woman turned her back to allow them entrance.

“Come in, children. You, child – Moira – correct? Sit on the bed. I need to observe you for a while, so get comfortable.”

“Solas, it seems you do not need to stay any longer, you should start your journey,” Moira stated unyieldingly.

The old woman spoke up, “Solas, that is an interesting name. Is there a surname to accompany it?” Before he could even open his mouth to reply Moira responded with a sly grin,  
“Fenhedis2. Solas Fenhedis. Now, Ser Fenhedis, you should continue your journey, I will be perfectly fine here.” 

Solas went over to her bedside with a grin to give her a kiss goodbye saying, “Sal sura, ma’da’harellan3.” 

She smirked at him. “It seems we match. Sule melan’an, ma’lath4.”

It was hard for him to leave her there, but there was no use delaying so he gave her one last kiss and started on his way.  
Once he was gone, Moira situated herself more comfortably on the bed as the old woman pulled a chair over to examine her more closely. “You two make a cute couple. I don’t believe I have said my name, I am Bethana, but most people call me Grandma. My granddaughter Cat should be returning sometime soon. In the meantime, let’s figure out what is wrong with you.”

“Well, I am constantly exhausted, my stomach often revolts against me, and I have had a hard time passing waste.”

“Is there any pattern that you have noticed to your nausea?”

“Not really. I usually feel it in the morning, then it comes and goes throughout the day.”

“Alright. Lay down on your back so I can feel around your stomach.” She began prodding at the top of her stomach and slowly worked her way down, asking if anything hurt. When she got to the lowest part of her stomach her brow furrowed. She poked around a bit more and asked, “When was your last moon’s blood?”  
Moira had to think a moment, “I think it was about two months ago… oh, shit.”

“It seems congratulations are in order. You’re pregnant!” Moira could hardly believe it. Of course she wanted a child at some point, but now? How would she tell everybody? How would she tell Solas? She stroked her belly in shock; at least she knew what was going on, but, Creators, was this going to be an interesting ride.  
Moira panicked, “What should I be doing? Shouldn’t I have noticed this before? What should I do?” 

The old woman gave her a knowing smile, “Calm yourself, you will be fine. I have some tea that will help with the nausea, and I can show you some tricks that should help. Just keep calm and we will sort this out.” The woman brought out a small bag and gave it to Moira. “Here, this will help with the morning sickness. I will leave it up to you to tell others in your own time. Don’t worry about me telling anyone.”

“Thank you. It will take some time to get used to this, but I am sure I can figure this out. Maybe. At some point. While we wait can I help you with something?” The old woman tried to protest, but Moira quieted her, “It is the least I can do for all you have done.” For the rest of the evening they worked together washing, drying and mending clothes. At some point the young woman named Cat appeared and took over for her grandmother and they worked the hours away chatting amiably. 

The sun was starting to turn the sky red as Solas returned to the small cottage where he had left Moira. When he knocked and entered he saw all three women sitting around the hearth mending clothes. Once she heard him come in Moira beamed up at him and chimed, “Solas! Let me just finish this shirt, then we can be on our way.”  
“Do you know what is wrong?” he asked.

“Yep. Grandmother here has given me some tea and it has already helped greatly.”

Solas looked at the old woman skeptically, “Tea? Will that actually make her feel better?”

The old woman laughed, “Of course it will.” She turned to Moira, “Here, I can finish that later, you should be heading out, it is late.” Moira gave a resigned sigh, put the shirt aside, and picked up her bags. “Good travels to you both!”

“You as well,” Solas replied. “Here is some compensation for your help.” The old woman nodded her head gratefully as he turned to take Moira’s hand. “Are you feeling better, vhenan?”

“Yes, much more so. The tea has helped a lot. I…” She wanted to tell him about her pregnancy, but she did not want to worry him, and Andruil needed to be taken care of anyways. No, she would keep it to herself for now. She continued, “I missed you.”

Solas chuckled, “I was only gone for a few hours, but I suppose that is fair. I missed you as well.” 

“Did you find June?” she asked.

“Yes. Unsurprisingly, he was happily working away at his forge. He said that he had not seen Andruil and he gave me no reason to suspect him so I let him continue his work.”  
“That is good news. What shall we do now?”

“We have visited everyone who is not already in the service of Andruil, so we ought to return to Skyhold to see what information the others have found for us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1- Large Assed One  
> 2- A swear word akin to shit, literally means wolf dick  
> 3- Until we meet again, my little trickster  
> 4- Until then, my love


	5. Return to Skyhold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel bad for not updating, but I have been struggling with Solas' reaction.

Moira swept into the War Room with her advisors and Solas following closely behind her. “What have you learned while I was gone?” she asked as they took their usual places around the table.

“It seems, my lady, that… Andruil has gathered some kind of force in the Korcari Wilds, ma’am,” their newest spymaster mumbled. Since Leliana had become Divine Victoria, this new woman was left with the difficult task of filling her shoes. Which she did quite well, that is, except for the fact that she could barely string a full sentence together in front of the Inquisitor.  
Moira was slightly irritated at the woman’s hesitation, but maintained a calm tone as she spoke to her, “You do not need to fear me. I will not bite. Divine Victoria placed her full confidence in you, therefore, so do I. If it helps, talk to me as you would to her.” At that, the woman seemed to muster herself. She squared her shoulders and began her report:

“Andruil has made a camp in the northern Korcari Wilds. It seems that she has recruited several Dailish clans to follow her, along with some humans. Also, it seems like there is a powerful elven mage that is helping her. Our scouts were unable to discern her identity, but she seems to be Andruil’s second in command. Beyond that, we have not been able to gather much more information. There seems to be some sort of protection or shielding around the camp that blocks it from view.”

“Thank you. Was there any sign of other god-like figures?” Moira replied to her spymaster. The elf seemed at a loss for words for a few seconds, and then regained her composure to respond, “It seems that she has a small group of close allies, but that is all that we can tell at this point."

Moira took a few moments to ponder the situation, and then addressed Solas, “Any ideas?”

“I have no doubt that she has created some kind of cult following. This mage of hers troubles me. I would like to observe this camp myself, if possible, although that is up to you, Inquisitor.”

“That is actually just what I was thinking. I will bring a small group of people to observe this camp ourselves.” She turned to address her advisors, “Any objections?”

Cullen was the first to speak up, “Inquisitor, it would not be wise for you to be unguarded. Perhaps a small contingent of soldiers could be dispatched with you?”

“And do what, exactly? Draw more attention to me? No. It would be best if we kept it small, but I do see your point. I will add several other members to our party. Perhaps Cole and Varric, maybe Cassandra, as well. Any other objections?” No one spoke up to contradict her. “Well then, that is settled. Is there anything I must address before I leave?” At that, they spent the next few hours discussing other issues concerning the Inquisition. Solas knew that he had nothing more to contribute, so he excused himself to prepare for their journey.

Once the seemingly endless stream of decision making was over, Moira was able to retreat to her room. Exhausted, she flopped onto her plush mattress with a sigh of relief. She reached her hand up to the small bump of her stomach, filled with a sudden dread for her unborn child. What was she going to tell the others? How long could she keep it a secret? Could she even afford to keep it secret? She was caught up in her worry until a sudden voice spoke behind her.

“He is your home. Your rock. Your heart. Yet you remain silent. Why?” Moira jumped at the sudden intrusion, heart racing, until she realized that it was just Cole.

She sat up and answered, “Because he will worry. He should not have to confront Andruil alone, and if I tell him, he will want to leave me behind.”

“He is worried. He sees the sickness every morning. Wondering if it is his fault,” Cole replied.

She gave a humorless laugh, “I suppose in some ways it is partially his fault, however, it is not a bad thing. He has no reason to be worried for me, and neither do you, Cole. It would be best if you did not tell him about this, though. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes,” he reluctantly replied, “He hurts. You can help. But I will remain silent.”

“Thank you, Cole.” At that, he disappeared, leaving Moira once again to her thoughts.

The next few days passed in a whirlwind of preparation. Packing and planning for the expedition, scheming and strategizing to maintain the Inquisition while Moira was away. It was all a little hectic. However, once they were on the road, they were all able to finally take a deep breath. Cassandra and Varric led the way, bickering over something or other, followed by Solas and Moira, with Cole taking up the rear. Moira was glad to be on the road again, glad to get away from the prying eyes and never-ending façade that came with her title. However, with every swell of nausea, a feeling of panic rose within her chest, reminding her of the life she held within herself. What would she do?

Solas could feel her anxiety rolling off her. He took her hand in his and asked, “Would you like to talk about it, vhenan?”

She was slightly irritated at the intrusion, but hastily deflected, “No. I am alright. Although, I was wondering why you so freely call the pantheon 'gods'. You have never believed they were, so why change your wording now?”

Solas took a moment to grasp the correct words, then answered, “It is true, we are not gods. However, they believe themselves as such, and many believe the same.” He took a moment to pause, then added, “Additionally, it is much easier to say ‘god’ because you understand my meaning and anyone else would not be able to fully comprehend it. It also saves me time, so I do not have to explain myself every time I mention them.”

Moira bristled at his lack of faith in other’s intelligence, “That is unfair. If you would actually take the time to explain your reasoning, it would be simple for anyone to understand. Besides, we already toppled one god, why not others?”

Solas opened his mouth to reply when Varric shouted, “Hey, Fireball, have I ever told you that Cassandra has a thing for my worst book ever published?”  
Cassandra gasped, mortified, and shouted, “Varric!”

Moira giggled then responded, “I was there. Don’t you remember?”

“Yeah, yeah, of course I remember. I just like bringing it up to our dear Seeker here.” At that, Cassandra gave her trademark noise of disgust and walked ahead of the party with Varric staying not far behind her. Moira and Solas lapsed into comfortable silence, content to observe the drama unfolding before them.

As usual, Moira began to think about the child with her. She had been traded into the clan before she could remember, and while clan Lavellan was kind to her, she was never able to forget where she stood among them. She was exchanged to strengthen the clan’s bloodline. The clan’s harenen1 would tell stories to her about how they were so wise and lucky to find such a beautiful woman with a child to strengthen the clan’s blood ties. The moment she obtained her valaslin, her Keeper eagerly encouraged her to find a bondmate within the clan. Moira found that she had an affinity with all things regarding motherhood, but she resented that it was something forced upon her. She had no doubt that she could care for the child, she had already cared for so many for the clan, but she did not know what kind of world she would be bringing it into. Suddenly, she felt a slight pressure on her hand pulling her out of her thoughts.

“What are you humming emma’lath?” Solas asked.

“I was humming? Oh, yes, that. It is a song used to help a mother concentrate during birth.” Solas’s eyebrows rose in question. “I learned it as the clan’s midwife in training. I am good at hunting, but I am even better when it comes to children.”

“Oh? and may I ask why you were thinking of this?” Solas asked.

“It was just stuck in my head,” she defected. “I am not sure exactly why, I was not even fully aware that I was doing it.”

“You should know that there could be a chance we cannot conceive a child. I do not want you to be disappointed.”

“All this time, and you are still trying to dissuade me from loving you. Well, have I got news for you. I am here with you till I die. Anyways, we don’t even know the chances we have to conceive. They might be higher than you expect.”

Solas chuckled, “Always the optimist, aren’t you?”

They walked a bit farther, then set up camp. Once that was done Cassandra suggested, “We need to hunt and to bathe. Which shall we do first, Inquisitor?”

Moira was extremely apprehensive about bathing in front of others in her condition. Sensing this, Solas interjected, “Perhaps Varric, Cole, and I should go hunt while you two bathe. Then we can leave you to prepare it while we take our turn.” Moira smiled at him appreciatively. Even after all this time, she still felt uncomfortable being undressed in front of others. She and Cassandra gathered their things and went over to the riverbank, where she quickly undressed and slipped into the water. The cool shock of it was a relief to her warm skin, so she submerged her head into its depths. She kept curled in on herself and sunk as deep as she could into the water to avoid the possibility that Cassandra would notice her growing belly.

However, this had the opposite effect and only deepened Cassandra’s worry for the Inquisitor. She had noticed that Moira was clearly stressed about something and she seemed to be much less open with her thoughts.

Tentatively, Cassandra voiced her concern, “Inquisitor, are you doing well? You have been acting like a wounded animal. I am worried for you.”

Moira startled a bit at the sudden noise, then turned herself towards her friend and spoke in a level voice, “I am fine. Thank you for your concern.”

“You know I can tell when you are lying,” she scoffed. “Are you hurt? He didn’t do anything to you, did he?”

“No, of course not. It’s just… it’s…” she trailed off, trying to think of the best explanation. She could not find the correct words, so she settled for standing up in the stream.

Cassandra gasped. “M-Moira. Congratulations? That is what one is supposed to say, correct? Have you told Solas yet? I assume it is his, unless…”

Moira slunk back into the safety of the water and answered solemnly, “Yes, it is his, and no, I have not told him yet.”

Cassandra’s eyes widened. “What? Usually this part is after the girl has told the guy, with him laughing in joy and swinging her around. Why haven’t you told him yet?”  
“I am afraid of what he will say. This is not exactly the best timing.”

“I see very few problems. You will just be kept back from the fighting, and surely Solas will be understanding because you are rebuilding the Elven Empire through procreation, no?”  
Moira let out a giggle. “It is a little bit more complicated than that, Cassandra. Anyways, we should get going, they will be back soon enough.” They clothed themselves and started back to the camp where Varric already set the rabbits they had caught to cooking.

“Took you guys long enough,” Varric quipped, “I was beginning to wonder if you drowned.” Moira took a seat by Solas, taking his hand in hers while Cassandra protested Varric’s comment.  
“He has been waiting to use that line since we separated. I am glad that Cassandra took the bait so that it was worth his talk,” Solas whispered into her ear. “Did you enjoy yourself?”  
“Yes. Although I feel bad not contributing to dinner,” Moira replied in a hushed voice.

“Take it as a gift. You can make it up to me later.”

Moira couldn’t help but smile at that proposition, which only reminded her of the situation at hand. She took a deep breath and began, “Um… Solas. I… I… There is something you should know.”

“Together. Two hearts as one. Sharing heat. Warmth. Swimming…”

“Fenedis, Cole!” she yelled and jumped away in surprise. “Please do not sneak up on me like that!”

“I was only trying to help,” Cole pleaded, looking to Solas for guidance.

“You are noble in your intents, Cole,” Solas intoned, “but shocking people is not the best way to help them.”

“Hey, Kid, how about you grab some bowls? The rabbit is done.” Varric called over. At that, both Cole and Moira rose to assist Varric. Solas noticed the quick exchange of Cassandra’s raised, questioning eyebrows and Moira’s silent negating shake of the head. Apparently, whatever Moira wanted to discuss with him, she had already gone over with the Seeker.

Moira was slightly relived at Cole’s intrusion. She knew that she should tell Solas what was going on, but she just could not find the words. They all sat around the fire, enjoying their meal while Varric recounted stories of the Champion to everyone’s delight. Soon, Moira felt sleep tugging at her eyelids and excused herself to bed. She had just crawled under the blankets when Solas entered, letting in a blast of cold air. He quickly undressed for bed and crawled under the blankets with her, looking at her expectantly. She buried her head into his chest, and when she did not say anything he crooned, “Ma vhenan, you know you can tell me anything.”

“I know. This is just a lot harder than I expected.” There was a slight pause, then she took a deep breath, raised her eyes to meet his and said, “I’m pregnant.”  
He froze, shocked into silence. She searched his face desperately for an answer. Finding nothing, she pleaded, “Please don’t leave. I know that this is not the best timing, but…” She was cut off by a sudden deep, passionate kiss. When they parted, she asked, “So… you aren’t… angry?"

“Angry? I am pleased. Surprised, but definitely pleased!” he exclaimed with a brilliant smile, which flushed her face with relief. “Of course, there are some considerations to be made. We should keep you out of the fighting and probably ask for more people from Skyhold. Juame babae2. What do you need? How is this possible? How long did you know?”  
“Whoa, slow down there. I caught some of that, but not all. I’m just glad you are not mad.”

“There is no reason to be angry. No matter what happens, I will always be by your side. Now tell me everything.” With a laugh, she started her tale, going into the wee hours of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1- Elders  
> 2- I am a father


	6. Decisions

Light filtered through the tent as Moira shook the last foggy remnants of the Fade from her head. The sun was higher in the sky than usual and she wondered why no one had woken her already. She flopped herself onto her back and ran into Solas who was still passed out next to her wandering the Fade. When she rose to ready herself for the day she heard familiar voices approaching the camp. “So Seeker, tell me again why we are letting Giggles and Chuckles sleep in,” she heard Varric ask.

“The Inquisitor is…has something where we should let her sleep,” Cassandra replied.

"Hey Kid, do you know what’s going on?” he asked desperately.

"Relief. Acceptance. He knows. This will work,” chanted Cole.

"Of course you know. Why am I always in the dark? Why can’t you guys just tell me?”

"At least for once you are the one information is being kept from,” shot Cassandra.

“You wound me, Seeker, I thought we got past the whole Hawke deception thing,” he joked which elicited a noise of disgust from his target.

Moira donned the last of her armor and leaned over to wake Solas with a kiss.  
“Good morning, fade-walker.” She was met with a sleepy grin and another peck on the cheek. “It seems that they let us sleep in. Get dressed then we can discuss our plans.” She ducked out of the tent to see that Varric had already made breakfast. “Good morning!” he shouted.

Cassandra rose to greet Moira and whispered, “Have you told him?”

“Yes. Don’t worry about it. He will be out soon and we can begin talking about it, Cass.”

“Good. Grab some breakfast.” Moira obeyed and sat down to eat.

“So, what’s the big secret, Giggles?” Varric asked excitedly.

“Sorry that everyone happened to know before you did, Varric. But… well… I’m pregnant.”

“Oh shit. That makes things complicated.”

“Yes…,” Moira replied hesitantly, “but what are we going to do about Andruil.”  
Solas interjected as he emerged from the tent, “You will go back to Skyhold. It is not safe for you or the baby here. And if Andruil somehow learns of this, she will surely use it against us.”  
Moira frowned and firmly objected, “No. I will stay here. You are not leaving me again.” Solas frowned, but relented after an intense glare from Moira. “How about we send word to Skyhold for some reinforcements.”

“Surely not a large force, or we will be easily spotted. Perhaps a few more close friends from Skyhold would work,” mused Cassandra.  
Moira smiled and chimed in, “That is a great idea! Who should we ask for? It would be even more helpful if they could assist with our main mission.”

“I would feel most comfortable with someone to constantly guard the Inquisitor,” Solas contributed, “Perhaps Bull?”

Cassandra raised her eyebrows and scoffed, “I’m I not up for consideration? I am just as qualified as he is.”

Solas paused a moment then answered, “I do not doubt your qualifications, however there should be more than one of you.”

“That seems excessive. I am not a delicate flower that needs guards, ma lath. I can take care of myself.”

“In normal conditions I do not doubt you. However we are facing a mighty foe and one that wants to personally do me harm. I do not want to cause you any pain on my behalf.”

“It would cause me more harm to be away from you than anything Andruil could possibly do to me.” Her voice slid from desperation to a gentle command, “Don’t leave me.”  
Solas saw the stubbornness in her eyes and knew he would not be winning this fight so he sighed and responded, “If that is so, then I ask that there are more people to protect you.”  
Moira’s face lit up as she planned, “Alright. Let’s send word for Bull. Sera would be a good idea as well, and why not also ask for Dorian? I have been missing his company.”  
Solas wrinkled his nose in mock disgust but did not comment on the matter. “We should also find someone trustworthy to care for you. I highly doubt any of the afore mentioned companions have ever birthed a baby.”

“I can handle myself for awhile, but we should find someone. I would prefer that they were Dalish. We should stop by a town to send word to Skyhold, then we can continue our journey,” Moira agreed. Thankfully, they had a road to follow so the travel was easy, but Moira could feel how tense Solas was as they walked. His brow was knit, his hands stiff and firm in her hand, and his shoulders were drawn back and tight. Moira wanted to comfort him but could not find the right words to approach. “Solas, are you ok?”

He nodded curtly and replied with a short “Yes, no not worry about me, vhenan.” Despite his words of reassurance she could see that he was on guard, but she knew that she could not make him talk about it against his will. So she took a deep breath and gently rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb comfortingly.

They only went a couple more paces when they heard a minor rustle in the bushes she thought it was nothing serious, but then it was suddenly ablaze. Solas had thrown a fireball at the poor unsuspecting bush. “What did it ever do to you?” Varric asked.

Moira turned to him with questions in her eyes, but he pulled away mumbling, “Stay right here. I will be back soon.” He ran into the surrounding forest, leaving the rest of the party dumb stricken. Cole was the first to break the silence, “He hurts, or is afraid of hurting. It’s my fault, all my fault…”

“Kid, I don’t think he would want you saying that out loud,” Varric cautioned.

“Stay here. I will go talk to him,” Moira commanded as she hurried off in his direction. It did not take her long to find him for it seemed he only got a few paces before he collapsed. She ran to his side and could see tears welling up. She only witnessed this much emotion on his face a handful of times, worried she asked, “Solas, what is it? Is something wrong?”

He took a shuttering breath then choked, “I’m so scared. I put you in this position and… I could never forgive myself if you were hurt.”

She placed her hand on his cheek and gently lifted it so she could meet his eyes, “You did not do this. I come here willingly, just as I love you willingly. It would hurt me more to be apart from you. But I gather that this is not the only reason you are upset, ma lath.”

He gave a weak smile, “I… I am afraid of being a father. I do not think that I could give the child what it deserves.”

“Really?” she chuckled, “because I think that you will be a great father and I wouldn’t want to be a mother if you were not there beside me. We will both be learning how to do this together, step by step.”

"I, however, am at a greater disadvantage. Unlike you, I know nothing of children or babies. I am scared that I will hurt it."

"That is the great thing about babies, they are meant for new parents. In the beginning there is not a whole lot you can do, but day by day the child will learn new things and we will learn how to take care of it. And this is a team effort, we have each other and we have our friends. You will not be alone, ma lath." She moved her forehead to lean against his. They stayed there for several heartbeats, basking in the light of each other when she let out a giggle.

“What was that?” he asked.

“The baby just moved and it tickled a bit.”

“Really? Can I?” he asked motioning to her belly.

She lifted her shirt to reveal her stomach, putting his hand on top of it. “I think it is too early for you to be able to feel it, but it will not be long.” Solas stared at her in wonder at how beautiful she was, unable to comprehend how he had earned such light. He bent down to press I tender kiss on the rise of her belly then planted another on her cheek.  
“Come. We must continue our journey. We have far to go.” He helped her rise and hand in hand they walked back to the main party waiting for them.


End file.
